Tripod mount for antiaircraft machine guns



Fens, 1929. 1,701,153

S. G. GREEN TRIPOD MOUNT Fon ANTIAIHcRAFT MACHINE GUNS i Filedooxy. 1925 2 sheets-sheet 1 3fm/venten Feb.5, 1929. 1,701,153

s. G. GREEN TRIPOD MOUNT FOR ANTIARCRAFT MACHINE Guus Filed oct. 9, 1925 2 sheets-sheet 2 Samuel E ,Green w, /Mwf.

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PANT OFFICE...

UNITED STATES SAMUEL G. GREEN, oEGnAY, GEoReIA.

- 'rmron MOUNT ron ANT'IAIRCRAFT MACHINE .GUNs

Application-med october 9, 1925. sei-iai No. 61,613.

(GRANTED UNDER THIE- AGT 0F MARCH 3, 1883', AS AMNDEIDAPRIL 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757.)

' The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes Without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to a tripod mount for anti-aircraft machine guns.

In directing a gun for 'high angle fire against rapidly moving aerial targets, it is gidity and compactness..

desirable that the mount be sufficiently elevated to provide for proper aiming and manipulation of the gun. The mount should be portable and. capablel of rapid 'adjustment to its elevated and `folded position, and it is therefore necessary to reduce its Weight to a -minimum without sacrifice of stability,v ri- In tripods of this character, thelegs are generally maintained in spaced relation .by means of braces connected to a standard slidable with respect to the tripod head'- so that thetripod and-the standard are adjusted in unison to theirhighest position. The braces A. are thus disposed substantially parallel to the y tripod `legs and the mount isextremely insecure.`

Inasmuch as the utmost rigidity should be provided in the maximum elevation of the mount, I provide'a-lixed central post from which the braces extend to the legs, the attachment'of the'braces being so located as to form substantially equi-lateral triangles with their sustaining members when the mount is in it's highest position. ther interest Vof stability the cradle, which -provides for alternate attachment of guns of diiferent'calibers, is trunnioned above the center line of bore, coincident with the axis of traverse andfin rear of the vcenter of gravity of the gun and cradle assembly. 'This con dition obtains irrespective of the caliber of the gun and produces a slight tendency to depress rather than elevate the gun during its l operation. This is offset by the natural inclination of the gunner to bear down on the breech end of the gun. The standard in which the cradle is -trunnioned is an arcuate member whose weight is disposed forwardly of the cradle trunnions so as to tend to compensate for the rearward thrust transmitted to the mount due to the force of recoil and also to accommodate the cradle when the gun is elevated to a practicall vertical position.

To establish additional1 support for the heavier type of gun a fourth leg may be read- In the furily attached to a freelv rotatable collar on thev tripod head. A

A practical embodiment of theinvention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein: V v

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a mount .constructed in accordance with the invention and adj usted-to its maximum elevation;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view showing the alternate mounting of a heavier type of gun;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional -view of the sliding clamp on the line 3--3 of Fig. 4; 4

Fig. 4 is a cross section of the sliding clamp on the line 4,-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig'. 5 is a detail view in side elevation of the -standard Fig. 6 is a detail view in frontelevation of the standard; v

lso

Fig. 7 is a detail plan view of the cradle i Fig. 8 is a detail view in side elevation of the cradle; e

' Fig. 9 is an enlarged sectional view showing the'manner of securing the braces; and

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken on the line- 10-10 of Fig. 9.

` R ferring to the drawings by numerals of reference: Q

. There is showna tripod mount comprising a central head 5 to which is rigidly fixed a depending hollow post 6 formed at its lower eX- tremity with a col-lar 6. Pivoted to the head at equal intervals are the three legs 7 all of t the post and the ground to allow for lowering the tripod and also because the legs must be of suiiicient length to establish a base of proper area, I have found it advisable in orderto provide greater strength to the individual legs to slightly move the point of attachment laterality.

In adjusting the tripod to its lowest 'position the clamp 10 is moved up on the post 6 until the braces are all in the same plane. Stability is not sacrificed because of the gain in spread. f

A standard mounted for 360 rotation in azimuth by having its stem l1 in the tubular post terminates in a yoke 11 in which is trunnioned a cradle 12 consisting of spaced plates 1.2. The cradle trunnions vare positioned so-that their axis has a point coincident with a point in the axis of the standard and also with a point in the .centerof gravity of the recoiling parts. The standard is formed as an arcuate member to allow for movement of the cradle to a vertical position of the braces and legs from a position of equiand to dispose its weight forwardlyof the trunnions to compensate for 4the rearward thrust transmitted to the mount.

-The cradle is designed to mount a standard gun of either .30 or .50 caliber as shown respectively in Figures l and 2. For this purpose there are provided in the cradle plates aligned sets of apertures 13,14 and l5, the first two servingvto receive the attaching pins 16 when mounting 4a .30 caliber gun and vthe iirst and the last receiving the pins when mounting a..50 caliber gun. The cradle plates are also provided with two sets of apertures for mounting brackets 17 and 17 which receive the ammunition box,

not shown.

Irrespective of which type of gun is mounted, the cradle trunnions are positioned in vrear of the center of gravity of the -gun and cradle assembly and above the center line of bore preferably between the center line vof bore and thecenter line of acceleration. rllhe trunnions are further located on the center of gravity of the recoiling parts. Theoretically, the center lines of bore andlacceleration should coincide but due to weight limitations in small caliber guns such a coincidence is la. standard rotatable therein,

impractical.v The foregoin determination of .the cradle trunnions pro uces a tendency to depress rather than to elevate the gun during its operation but this is offset by the natural inclination of the gunner 'to bear down on the stock of the gun.

For the purpose of securing the cradle in position of elevation, a clamp or lock 18 of any suitable type may be mounted on the standard.

In employing the caliber .50 gun, the thrust transmitted to the mount is considerable and it is therefore desirable to always have one leg of the tripod directly in line with the gun. As it is'manifestly impractical to constantly shift the mount, I provide on the tripod head 5, a freely rotatable ring-or collar 19 having an aperturedv lug 19 to which may be readily attached a fourth or auxiliary leg 20. A gun server may keep this leg lined up with the gun without interfering with the gunner.

In folding the mount the clamp 10 may be moved up adjacent the tripod head and the standard lifted from its socket.

While in the foregoing there has been illustrated and described such combination and arrangement of elements as constitute the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is nevertheless desired tov emphasize the fact that interpretation of the invention should only be conclusive when made in the light of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. A mount for machine guns embodying a tripod, an arcuate standard rotatable there` in, a cradle trunnioned in the-standard coincident with the axis of rotation of said ly mounting gunsv o different caliber, the cradle trunnions positioned above the center line of bore and in rear of the center of gravity of the gun and cradle.

' 2. A mount for guns embodying a tripod,

trunnioned inthe standard and having means `for alternately mounting guns of different calibers. v

3. A mount for guns embodying a tripod vand an arcuate standard mounted for rota?.

tion therein and having its extremity coincident with the axisof rotation.

4. A mount for guns embodying a tripod,

and a cradle means supported thereby for mounting a gun,

a ring freely rotatable 'on the tripod head and an auxiliary leg attachable to said ring.

SAMUEL G. GREEN. l

b5 standard and having means for alternates 

